Patent EA-002411-B1 (EA)
Title: System and method for using a workspace data manager to access, manipulate and synchronize network data
Inventor: MENDEZ DANIEL J
IPC: G06F12/00
Filed: 1999-01-15
Abstract: 1. A computer-based method for synchronizing data from a remote, comprising the steps of: downloading data from a remote site; requesting a workspace data manager to enable manipulation of the data and thereby create manipulated data; and synchronizing the manipulated data with the data stored at the remote site. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of requesting the workspace data manager to provide an interface for enabling manipulation of the data. 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of using the workspace data manager interface to request synchronization. 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the workspace data manager provides an interface by creating an instance. 5. The method of claim 2, wherein the workspace data manager provides an interface by providing access to its only interface. 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of translating the workspace data from the format used by the remote site and the format used by the workspace data manager. 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of deleting the workspace data manager interface after manipulation of data is no longer needed. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the data stored at the remote site has not changed and therefore includes the downloaded data. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the data stored at the remote site has been modified, and therefore is different than the downloaded data. 10. A system for synchronizing data from a remote site comprising a communications module for downloading workspace data from a remote site; an application program interface coupled to the communications module for communicating with a workspace data manager to enable manipulation of the downloaded workspace data and thereby create manipulated data; and a general synchronization module coupled to the communications module for synchronizing the manipulated data with the workspace data stored at the remote site. 11. The system of claim 10, farther comprising an instantiator for requesting the workspace data manager to provide an data manipulation interface for enabling manipulation of the downloaded workspace data. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the data manipulation interface enables a request to synchronize the data. 13. The system of claim 11, wherein the workspace data manager creates another instance of the interface to enable manipulation of the data. 14. The system of claim 11, wherein the workspace data manager provides access to its only interface to enable manipulation of the data. 15. The system of claim 10, further comprising a data reader for translating the downloaded workspace data from the format used by the remote site to the format used by the workspace data manager. 16. The system of claim 11, further comprising a de-instantiator for deleting the data manipulation interface after manipulation of data is no longer required. 17. The system of claim 10, wherein the data stored at the remote site has not changed and therefore includes the downloaded data. 18. The system of claim 10, wherein the data stored at the remote site has been modified, and therefore is different than the downloaded data. 19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a content-based synchronization module for synchronizing the data stored at the remote site with the manipulated data. 20. A system for synchronizing data from a remote site comprising: means for downloading data from a remote site; means for requesting a workspace data manager to enable manipulation of the data and thereby create manipulated data; and means for synchronizing the manipulated data with the data stored at the remote site. 21. A computer-readable storage medium storing program code for causing a computer to perform the steps of: downloading data from a remote site; requesting a workspace data manager to enable manipulation of the data and 20 thereby create manipulated data; and synchronizing the manipulated data with the data stored at the remote site.